WINNIMERE, JASPER HILL FARM, VERMONT :: RAW COW’S MILK
We love this cheese so much. Get it when it’s ripe, peel off the top, and dig in with a spoon. It doesn’t need anything else, but it is also great spread on fruit-nut bread and served with these tasty roasted apples. The apples are fun to see on the plate, too. The pairing just screams winter, which is the only time the cheese is available.
YIELD: 16 APPLES
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 1 HOUR
2 cups maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
16 Lady apples or crabapples, peeled
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the maple syrup and butter until melted and warm, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Peel the apples, leaving the stems on if they have them. Set the apples upright in an 8 × 8-inch ovenproof dish.
Pour the maple syrup mixture over the apples. Bake the apples for 45 minutes to 1 hour, brushing a bit of the syrup on the apples with a pastry brush every 15 minutes, until the apples are tender and lightly caramelized.
Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
Store in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated. Serve at room temperature or warm.
Chef’s notes: Maple syrup can be expensive, so make sure to use all the syrup in other ways.
Make ahead. They will keep for up to 5 days.
Other cheeses to serve with this accompaniment: Marieke Gouda Premium, Ameribella, or American Cheddar.
Creative suggestion: Serve the apples warm with chopped bourbon walnuts (page 84) and some ice cream or whipped crème fraiche.
